Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-07
WHOLE NO. 1928.

than one, and the whole tract has averaged
more than thirty bushels to the acre.
1t is expected that the produce
of this ranch this wear will
reach 100000 bushels; 23,400,OO0 pounds
11,700 tons, or l,l70 ten-ton carloads of
wheat. One thousand men are employed
in harvest time, several steam threshers
are required to thresh the grain, and long
lines of six and eight-mule teams are used
for two months hauling it to the railroad
or river. There are large numbers of fine
bred horses, cattle and hogs on this ranch,
and all kinds of fruit, including oranges and
lemons, are grown. There are buildings
enough on this place to make respectable
town. Thirty-two houses, barns, sheds,
corrals, storehouses and shops for repair of
machinery and harness are scattered over
the great place. 1t is princely estate,
and when divided will make homes for
hundreds of families. Thirty miles of
graded roads are now being built on the
place to facilitate hauling of produce to
market.
THE PARRoTT GRANT
Is another of the vast landed estates in
herited from the Spanish land-grand sys-
TEN. 1t is southwest of Chico, ten miles
from Chico, and contains $4,000 acres. 1t
is nearer the Sacramento river than the
last-described grant, and the character of
the soil is the same deep, fertile, alluviai
loan as the Rancho Chico the Reavis,
Reynolds, Hawkins and other places. 1t
was once covered with gigantic oak and
other growths, which is natures certificate
of rich soil. Little Chico creek and
other small, clear streams run through it,
and the Sacramento river washes the
western portion of the grant. This, like
the other big ranches, Is mostly devoted
to grain-raising. As a rule, the land is
summer-fallowed and crop raised only
every other year, but there are large bodies
that raise good crops every season by win
ter sowing There are this season about
II, 900 acres of grain-wheat and barley
and it is very promising and is expected
to yield an average of twenty-five bushels
to the acre, which will aggregate 275,000
bushels. There are now thirty eight-mule
teams plowing for summer-fallow, which
will be sown early next season, in time for
the first rains to bring it up. This place
is cultivated by the managers of the estate
of the late owner, and none of it is rented.
All of this great fertile tract of land is
well adapted to alfalfa, hop, fruit and veg
etable-growing, and, if devoted to such
diversified production, would make homes
for some 600 or 700 families and be in
finitely more useful to hu.aan society than
now.
THE GRIDLEY TRACT
This Mexican grant, lying between
Chico and Biggs, in Butte county, COM
prises now about $4,000 acres, and is as rich
and fertile soil as the sun shines upon. 1t
is part of
THE MAGNIFICENT DONATION MADE BY
SENATOR STANFORD
To the Leland Stanford, Jr., University.
1t is understood that it viii be leased in
small tracts to practical farmers with FAM
lilies for diversified farming, principally
fruit-growing, for which it is exceedingly
we'll adapted 1t is well watered, well
drained, healthy and fertile, and underth
proposed plan of leases will make homes
for two or three thousand happy and use
full families, and yield large sum to the
resources of the University, to which it
belongs. 1t is now mostly in grain, and is
to a large extent titled by tenants.
The crop this year is fine, much more
than an average one, and will give gem
erous return to the owner and the lessees,
and will require thirty 20-car trains to
haul the produce to tide water. There
were other large grants in the county trib-
utary to Chico, but the process of subdiyi-
sion has reduced them to small holdings,
and covered them with the comfortable
homes of a large number of happy families.
In comparatively short time the other
great holdings must be divided and sold in
small tracts, and make hundreds of homes
where they have only one now.
THE FOOTHILLS
The fertility of the Sierra foothills is too
we'll known to need extended notice but
any article of Chico and the surrounding
country would be incomplete unless it in
cluded the foothills that are tributary TO
her, and which, in the immediate future,
will be an important factor in her trade
and manufactures. These tributary foot
hills comprise an area about fifteen miles
square. They commence at the eastern
line of the valley land and extend east to
the great timber belt, and even among
these forests there are openings that grow
hardy fruits and vegetables, and grasses
grow luxuriantly.
The foothills proper, below the timber
belt, lie at attitudes ranging from 200 to
1,S00 feet above tide water. They are
instoC up VI uSeP, HiliOW, but IlCH NsllletS
and sloping sunny hillsides. Most of this
area is only adapted to pasturage, but
there is more Of it that can be plowed and
that will repay tillage than is supposed.
These foothills are
A TRUE FRoSTIEsS BELT,
And are especially adapted to fruit culture.
The soil and climate are so favorable, and
the supply of water so abundant, and the
region IS so healthy, that it is now eagerly
sought for homes. The land is cheap,
and it is truly the poor mans belt. Every
thing raised there has market at home
among the miners, grazers and lumber
men. The scenery is beautifully varied,
the temperatures are mild, and there are
more clear days than in the coast range.
On these sunny slopes, in the shade of
mountain trees, by clear running streams
Or cool springs, there will be thousands of
prosperous homes, where, if there is not
great wealth there will be plenty and con-
tentment.